Rwanda's Current Conflict
Since the 15th century, Rwanda has been divided into three ethnic groups: the Hutu, Tutsi, and Twa. Tensions between these three groups, particularly the Hutu and the Tutsi, have led to many conflicts throughout history- the most recent and significant of which being the 1994 genocide.
In 1990, the Tutsi controlled Rwandan Patriot Front (RPT) invaded Rwanda from Uganda, provoking powerful Hutu government officials to secretly train young recruits into a rebel group called the Interahamwe. Hutu militia members also started a radio network that broadcasted anti-Tutsi propaganda, claiming that the Tutsis were trying to re-enslave the Hutus. This conflict led to violence between the two groups, with the worst of which yet to come.
Despite the signing of a UN peace treaty by both the Tutsis and the Hutus in 1993, violent fighting continued between the two ethnic groups. After the alleged RPT bombing of Rwanda's capital, Kigali, Rwandan president Juvenal Habyarimana was likewise assassinated. These events set into motion violence that would claim the lives of between 500,000 and one million Tutsis and Hutu by the Interahamwe and government forces.
The war ended on July 4, 1994, leading nearly two million Hutus to leave Rwanda and seek refuge in neighboring countries in fear of possible Tutsi retaliation. Many refugees have since returned to Rwanda, but some still remain in the countries, particularly in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Refugees in the DRC, especially militia members, partook in the First and Second Congo Wars.
Rwanda has largely been involved in the DRC's conflicts in recent years, especially in its massive support and control of the armed political group Rossemblement Congolais Pour La Democratie-Goma (RCD-Goma).
Rwanda's Use of Child Soldiers
Rwandese officials admitted to the armed forces' use of child soldiers in the 1994 genocide in a 2003 report to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child. Since then the government has made an effort to demobilize, rehabilitate, and reintegrate child soldiers; however, these efforts are believed to be gender-biased, with very few girls being involved in the efforts.
Up until 2003, Rwanda's Local Defense Force (LDF) recruited children as young as fourteen and deployed them to fight in the DRC. Most of these children were volunteers, but some were drafted by local officers. The LDF was largely responsible for human rights violations in Rwanda and the DRC; however, as of 2003, the LDF has not reported any recruitment of children, and the government has since established stricter regulations for it.
Unofficial sources have confirmed that Rwanda has stopped recruiting child soldiers, but some child soldiers do exist in the armed forces from previous recruitment efforts. The government claims that these children work as public services, yet they are believed to have been assigned military numbers.
Although Rwanda denies the use of child soldiers within Rwanda, it does use child soldiers in its operations in the DRC. While Rwandan authorities deny the presence of Rwandan forces in the DRC, yet reports conclude that Rwanda is still involved. Rwanda did "officially" withdraw its forces from the DRC in October of 2002, but forces have been in Eastern DRC since April of 2004. The armed political group RCD-Goma, which operates in the DRC, is largely supported and controlled by the Rwandese government.
RCD-Goma uses child soldiers in its operations, and even deploys them in frontline combat. After Rwanda's partial withdraw from the DRC in 2002, the RCD-Goma has significantly increased its recruitment of children, forcing children as young as eight to join. Within RCD- Goma is a paramilitary force, also known as the Local Defense Force (not to be confused with Rwanda's), which contains children as young as twelve.
The Interahamwe and other armed Rwandese political groups also actively use child soldiers in their efforts in the DRC. Armed forces such as these recruit or abduct street children and train them in Rwanda, later sending them to fight in the DRC. In fact, South Kivan forces have reported that up to twenty percent of Interahamwe forces are children, including girls. These children are mainly used in increasing numbers in pillaging raids as porters and gatekeepers.
